Is Giannis Antetokounmpo playing tonight against the Hawks? Latest on Bucks superstar's availability (Feb. 7)

Giannis Antetokounmpo has missed the past two games for the Milwaukee Bucks due to two different injuries. The Bucks are set to face the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night at the State Farm Arena. But, is "The Greek Freak" playing tonight against the Hawks?

According to the latest injury report, Antetokounmpo is ruled out from the game after being listed as questionable with tightness in his left calf. He missed Wednesday's game versus the Charlotte Hornets due to the same injury. The Bucks survived his absence, with Damian Lillard leading them to a 112-102 win.

Antetokounmpo is reportedly set to be evaluated before tip-off and see how he feels. If he's out, the Bucks are going to rely on Bobby Portis, who had 23 points and 17 rebounds against Charlotte.

Other players in Milwaukee's injury report include Damian Lillard and Brook Lopez, who are both listed as probable. Kyle Kuzma is a possible game-time decision following his acquisition from the Washington Wizards before Thursday's trade deadline.

---

What happened to Giannis Antetokounmpo?

Giannis Antetokounmpo has only missed seven games this season, averaging 31.8 points, 12.2 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.3 blocks. Antetokounmpo has been dealing with tendinopathy in his right knee throughout the season. He's a regular in the Milwaukee Bucks' injury report because of it, but has only missed a couple of games.

The majority of his games missed in mid-December was due to a non-COVID-19 illness. But the right knee injury was the reason why he was absent in the Bucks' 125-99 loss to the OKC Thunder. He was then initially listed as available against the Charlotte Hornets and was even in shootarounds.

However, the two-time NBA MVP was then ruled out with left calf tightness just before the game. It's unclear how he suffered the injury, but the Bucks wanted to be safe than sorry, so they gave him an additional rest. For those wondering, Antetokounmpo missed last season's playoffs because of a left calf injury.

---

Who will step up for the Bucks if Giannis Antetokounmpo gets ruled out?

If the Milwaukee Bucks remain cautious and rule Giannis Antetokounmpo out with a left calf injury, Bobby Portis is expected to start in his place. Portis did a great job in Milwaukee's win over the Charlotte Hornets though the Atlanta Hawks might be a tougher matchup due to Onyeka Okungwu.

Kyle Kuzma is also another option in the forward position, especially if he makes his Bucks debut tonight. Kuzma is a different player when motivated, and now that he's in a winning situation, he could produce more. Damian Lillard, if he's available, should be the no. 1 option.